Manuel Margot (OF, SD) - Week 7 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues

OWNED IN: 35% of leagues

ANALYSIS: San Diego Padres OF Manuel Margot has been teasing us with his immense stolen base upside ever since breaking in with the Red Sox organization back in 2012.  He amassed 162 SB across five minor league seasons, at a robust average of 32.4 SB/season. He received his first dosage of regular playing time in the MLB last year with the Padres, hitting .263, swatting 13 HR, and registering an impressive 17 SB over 487 AB.

However, Margot has gotten off to a really rough start in 2018 - which explains why his ownership sits below 36%. His .196 AVG, .245 OBP, .314 SLG, .559 OPS, and .118 ISO are absolutely dreadful numbers, while a 4.5% BB Rate and 20.9% K Rate aren't helping his case either. These are all well below his career norms, and one has to expect all of these statistics to continue to rise in time. A DL stint interrupted his April as well. In fact, during the last 14 games Margot has been showing major signs of improvement, hitting .261 with three double, two triples, six RBI, and two SB during that stretch. He also raised his OBP by .030 and SLG by .077 in that span. His extremely-low .241 BABIP suggests he has been getting unlucky with the balls he is putting in play so far in 2018, and that his AVG and counting stats (including steals) should adjust to his career averages as the season wears on. It should be noted that his Average Exit Velocity, Hard Hit %, and Barrels/PA all rank in the bottom tier of qualified hitters, so owners can't expect much from him in the XBH/HR department. As such, Margot doesn't project to factor in as much of a multi-category stud, but he has the speed and everyday role to contribute as a stolen base specialist in deeper leagues.  He projects to finish 2018 with a .250-.265 AVG and around 15 SB.